


Forbidden Depths

by hidekaneheadcanons



Series: A Hauntingly Hidekane Halloween [9]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Unhealthy Relationships, demon!Hide, necromancer!Kaneki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-01-08 07:40:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 15,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21232208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hidekaneheadcanons/pseuds/hidekaneheadcanons
Summary: Something in him awakened when he cast his first spell. He could feel the earth moving under his feet as if it were alive, hear the whispers of spirits on the wind, and felt their ghostly presence tingle against his skin as if they were actually touching him.He saw fear in his teacher’s eyes. And he was never taught again.





	1. Chapter 1

Kaneki received his warning long ago, back when he was first getting into necromancy. Before then, Kaneki had never been a particularly powerful wizard. He dabbled in the elemental magics, lightning sparking on his fingers, fire hissing out at the barest breeze, and ice melting the moment it formed. Divination came next, although his skill was laughable at best – and his premonitions non-existent. Necromancy was a somewhat forbidden and shamed field. It took many, many years for Kaneki to even take a crack at it, and many more to find someone to teach him the basics.

Something in him awakened when he cast his first spell. He could feel the earth moving under his feet as if it were alive, hear the whispers of spirits on the wind, and felt their ghostly presence tingle against his skin as if they were actually touching him.

He saw fear in his teacher’s eyes. And he was never taught again.

Kaneki could do nothing but teach himself, search old books for hints on how to control his power. Hone it. Use it. He couldn’t forget it, not like his old teacher told him too. And he wouldn’t hide it either. Since he found it, it felt like a part of him, like an arm or a leg. He could feel the power in the world around him, unused and untapped.

He learned to draw his magic into his eyes and ears, so he could see the spirits and hear what they were saying. They had a lot to tell, but also a lot to ask. Kaneki would exchange favours for information – getting into contract with loved ones, or apologizing to someone the spirit had wronged in their life. In exchange, he learned more about his power. He used it more.

But he was warned.

He was sitting in his basement, summoning spelling rolling off his lips, sigils etched into the ground with chalk. He felt the world pull tight, twist and tilt a couple inches to the left. His ears popped, and all that power exploded outwards. The jars on his shelves raddled, books fell off his shelves and loose papers blew in the wind. Kaneki himself was the most affected, knocked onto his back and wheezing for breath.

Sweat trailed down his skin. The magical drain was enormous. He struggled to even keep his eyes open, let alone sit up. The was a cracking, like bones snapping, and the low groan of floorboards. Then there was a terrible tearing, and low growls like an animal caught in a trap.

And then silence.

Kaneki painfully pushed himself up, blinking the black spots out of his vision. When he could finally see, he found himself nose-to-nose with someone, their brown eyes alight with mirth. Kaneki jerked back, but his arms crumbled under him and he found himself on his back again.

The man – a blonde with dirt all over his face – kneeled over him and tilted his head in concern. “You aren’t going to die, are you?”

Kaneki could only curse in response. He knew he had been alone at home, and his house was tightly locked up. No one could have broken in. So, whoever this was, Kaneki summoned him here. The summoning Kaneki was working on was from an aged book many centuries old. It was supposed to summon a nearby spirit and keep them in the centre of the circle. _A spirit._

The man with Kaneki now was truly whole and alive – his finger poking Kaneki’s cheek insistently. And he certainly wasn’t kept in the centre of the circle. No, all that was in the centre of the circle was a _gaping hole. _

“What are you?” Kaneki’s voice may have been mumbled, but the man understood.

The man’s eyes flashed, turning gold with its pupils slit. “I think you know that. So, why’d you call me? Got someone for me to terrorize or kill? Or do you have a deal to make? Or..?” He placed his palm flat on Kaneki’s stomach and trailed it down slowly. “Something else?”

Kaneki pushed the hand away, cheeks burning. “I wasn’t even trying to summon _you_.”

The demon pouted. “Awe. But its been so long since I’ve been summoned. Couldn’t we at least do something fun? I’ve been bored.”

“Then stay bored.”

The demon hummed and glanced around. “Man, you weren’t kidding about not meaning to summon me. You are _so_ ill-prepared for summoning a demon, it’s funny.” He scuffed at the chalk with his heel. “This circle is pathetic. Where’d you get it?”

Kaneki wordlessly pointed to the book, trying to think of a way to get rid of the demon and drawing a horrible blank. He never dealt with anything like this before.

There was a laugh as the demon examined the book. “Oh dude, what even is this?” He whipped around startlingly fast to stare at Kaneki. “Don’t they teach this stuff properly anymore?”

“No.” Kaneki groaned. Was the demon mocking him or something? “No, they bloody don’t.”

The demon frowned at him, then very slowly, started to grin. “Alright, I think I have a deal for you.”

“_No._” Kaneki cringed, thinking what the demon could possibly want.

“Oh come on, you haven’t even heard me out yet!” The demon plopped down next to him. “Guess I’ll just have to wait. Hmmm, yeah, I think I like this place. Could stay for a while…”

Kaneki glared at him, then sighed. “Alright, I’ll hear you out.” It wouldn’t hurt to just listen to the offer. He wouldn’t have to accept it. At least, he didn’t think he would.

“_I’ll _teach you.”

Kaneki’s eyes widened, and he hated the instinctive “yes” that almost bubbled out of his lips.

“And in return…” The demon glanced around the room, humming. “Let me stay. It’s been a while since I’ve taken a body. I’d like to put it to good use.”

Kaneki wrinkled his nose. He really hated to wonder what he meant by that. “Where did you even get that body?”

“The cemetery nearby. Body was relatively fresh, so it didn’t take to much effort to reanimate and heal. Digging my way here was the hard part.” He picked dirt out from under his fingernails. “So, will you consider it?”

Kaneki squeezed his eyes shut. “What are you going to do here? What does ‘putting your body to good use’ entail? Are you talking about hurting anyone?”

“Nah,” the demon waved a hand. “We want to live – just like you, you know?”

“Then why never ask for something like this before?”

“I haven’t met anyone before that had enough raw, spiritual energy to keep me here.” The demon trailed his fingers over Kaneki’s cheek. “You’re quite the human. I’m very lucky that I was the one who heard your call.”

Kaneki swallowed thickly. The demon’s eyes flickered yellow as his fingers trailed near Kaneki’s lips.

“So, what do you say?”

“How do we seal the deal?”

The demon grinned, then straddled Kaneki. “Like this.” Then he kissed him.


	2. Chapter 2

Kaneki’s head spun as the demon kissed him. He couldn’t do much but follow his lead, too exhausted to even raise an arm. The demon tangled a dirty hand in his hair, tongue tracing along Kaneki’s bottom lip. He tugged on Kaneki’s hair enough to elicit a gasp, then pressed his tongue against Kaneki’s.

When the demon finally pulled back and let Kaneki _breathe_, there were more black spots than not obscuring his vision. Distantly, he felt a thumb trace his lips. There were words spoken, but they were quiet and distorted. Then he was being carried, the swaying motion doing nothing to help his rising nausea.

The next time he opened his eyes, he was in his bed, daylight streaming through the window. His head ached fiercely. He turned his face away from the light, cringing as the motion made his head spin. A hand pressed against his forehead and Kaneki blinked his eyes open.

The demon was leaning over him. His eyes were now brown, but still flecked with gold. It made him look _almost _human. It was unnerving. He smiled when he caught Kaneki’s eyes, running his fingers from Kaneki’s forehead through his hair.

“You were out of it for a few days. I was starting to get worried.”

Kaneki froze. Some part of him hoped the whole experience was a dream, but here the demon was, in the flesh before him. His stomach turned. _Fuck_, what had he gotten himself into?

“You’re cute when you’re worried.” The demon grinned. “Don’t worry. I won’t bite. Unless you ask nicely.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Kaneki pushed himself up, leaning against the wall so he was as far from the demon as possible. The movement made his head feel like it was cracking open.

The demon pouted and backed off. “No fun.”

Kaneki pressed a hand against his forehead and glanced around the room. His books were strewn everywhere. Some laid half-open on the ground. The place was a disaster. He glared at the demon, who just shrugged.

“I was studying.” He said. “I’m surprised how much knowledge has been lost over the centuries. I was half-tempted to throw these in a pit and burn them.”

“Please don’t.”

The demon rolled his eyes. “I’m a little impressed you managed to get this far with such shitty instruction. I can only imagine what you’d be able to do with a proper teacher.” The demon’s expression was _hungry_. “With your potential…” The demon sighed dreamily. “That being said, we need to get you fixed up so we can start.”

The demon left Kaneki alone in his room, staring at wall and attempting to clear the black spots from his vision. His whole body ached. He’d felt drained after performing spells and rituals before, but nothing like this. He felt like he was halfway to his death. It felt like seconds, but was probably much longer before the demon returned.

He tapped Kaneki on the shoulder and held out a ceramic cup. Kaneki reached to take it with his trembling hand, thinking it was water. The demon’s hands folded over Kaneki’s to keep it steady. If he hadn’t, Kaneki would have spilled the entire cup when he recoiled. The cup was filled with a black, bubbling substance.

“What the hell is that?”

The demon hummed. “You probably don’t want to know.” He pushed the cup towards Kaneki’s face. “Now, do you trust me?”

“Absolutely not.”

The demon grinned. “Good.”

Kaneki glared.

“Oh fine.” The demon pulled back and gave him some room. He kept one hand curled around Kaneki’s so he couldn’t throw the cup across the room. He placed the other on his chest. “I swear that this concoction will help heal and strengthen you.” At Kaneki’s frown, he held up his finger. “_And_, that no human came to harm from my actions. Now _drink_.”

Kaneki eyed the demon, the reluctantly brought the cup to his lips. It tasted terrible and burned all the way down his throat. Kaneki’s eyes watered, but he finished the cup. He turned to the side, choking and sputtering.

“Good.” The demon murmured, but his voice sounded far away.

Kaneki’s stomach started burning, the feeling spreading throughout his whole chest. He wheezed, tears springing to his eyes as he writhed. There was a pressure as the demon crawled into bed behind him. Kaneki felt the pressure of his body against his back. One of the demon’s arms wrapped around his chest, palm pressed against his sternum. The other pressed against his forehead. Kaneki grabbed at the demon’s arms, unsure if he was trying to hold onto him or push him away.

“Change is not always pleasant,” the demon murmured in his ear. Then he started chanting in a foreign language. The air charged with energy, the hairs on Kaneki’s body standing on end. The last thing Kaneki remembered before passing out was the demon telling him to breath through the pain.

The next time he awoke, the absence of pain was almost euphoric. He breathed easily. When his eyes open, the light coming through his window didn’t make him scrunch them up in pain. When he sat up his body felt light and limber. Pushing to his feet, he realized he felt better than he ever had.

The demon was lounging on the ground, book in his hands. He closed it with a snap and stood. “Feeling better?”

“Significantly.”

The demon grinned. He put a hand on Kaneki’s chest, then trailed it up to his throat. His thumb traced over his pulse. “You’ll be perfect soon enough.”

Kaneki shifted away and the demon let his hand drop. “What do we do next?” Kaneki asked.

The demon tossed his book aside. “We unteach you all these nasty habits you’ve developed. Then we can _really_ begin.”

Kaneki’s skin tingled in anticipation. Never before did he have the opportunity to use his powers to their full potential. He hungered for it. He realized he was grinning. The demon matched his expression. “What’s your name, demon?”

The demon spoke in the same foreign language as before, voice deep and inhuman. “But,” he said. “_You _can call me Hide.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot I wrote this. Hope you liked.


	3. Chapter 3

Hide was perched on top of a gravestone, kicking his feet back and forth idly. He looked utterly bored, picking at his fingernails, even though they were already clean. “You just need to focus,” he said.

Kaneki glared from where he was kneeling on the ground. They’d been there for almost an hour, trying to summon a simple human spirit. It was something Kaneki had done countless times, yet he was struggling with it immensely.

Hide explained that a certain portion of his power was always being siphoned to keep Hide in the human world, but it felt like most of it was gone. In addition, save for a few potions and ingredients that had medical properties, Hide had taken away all his supplies.

“They don’t work,” Hide explained a couple weeks earlier. “To be more accurate, they only work because you _think_ they do. It’s all in your head.” Hide tapped a finger against Kaneki’s temple.

Apparently, all Kaneki need to call on a spirit was himself, and something that tied the spirit to the moral world. Most commonly, the deceased’s body. Or a personal possession. The spirits were easy to draw over to the mortal world because they had once belonged here. But Hide said it was different for demons. Anything from the mortal world was entirely ineffective, with the exception of sigils, since they were created in the spirit realm and taught to mortals. More effective, were ingredients from the demon realm, which Hide would show Kaneki how to get and use later.

But all Kaneki had to do now was summon a spirit, like he’d been trying to for the last hour. Sweat ran down Kaneki’s face and back, making him grimace. He had a killer headache starting. Not to mention, his legs were cramping from being in the same position for so long. Still, he stared at the grave, and tried to pull the spirit up from the spirit world.

Nothing.

There was a soft sigh as Hide stood, brushing imaginary dust off his pants. He knelt in front of Kaneki, uncomfortably close. His eyes narrowed as he cupped Kaneki’s cheek and tilted his face up. Kaneki stared at him dryly. Hide swiped his thumb under Kaneki’s nose.

It was only then that Kaneki realized it was bleeding.

“Humans are so fragile,” Hide mused. “It’s always hard to tell if I’m pushing you too hard.”

Kaneki grimaced. “I need to push if I want to improve.” He shifted away and used his sleeve to wipe the blood off his face. “I’ll keep trying.”

Hide looked pleased, even as he let his hand drop to his side. “You’ll be impeccable.”

Somehow, Kaneki didn’t think Hide was talking about the summoning. Kaneki grimaced and closed his eyes, pushing away thoughts about Hide. He could only think about one thing, and that was drawing the spirit over. He imagined opening a door and inviting the spirit through it. He called, and he called, and he _called._ He felt the drain, his headache worsening and his body trembling with exhaustion. Still, he pushed past it.

Kaneki felt a familiar tingly sensation over his skin. The temperature around them dropped by a few degrees. The wind rustled through the graveyard softly. There was a change in pressure, causing Kaneki’s ears to pop.

Then, he felt the presence.

Opening his eyes, he saw a young woman in front of him. Usually when he summoned spirits, they focused on him, intent to request favours of him. Instead, this spirit stared at Hide with wide eyes.

“Prince…” she whispered, voice filled with equal amounts of awe and fear.

Kaneki’s gaze darted up to Hide, who was ignoring the spirit. He only seemed to have eyes for Kaneki.

“I knew you could do it.” His grin was almost feral. “We should celebrate.”

Kaneki frowned at him. “I really just want to sleep.” The summoning took more out of them than he could have imagined. “Do you need the spirit for anything, or can I dismiss her?”

“Dismiss her.” Hide ran a hand through Kaneki’s sweaty hair.

Kaneki willed her away, feeling her spirit depart from the world. He sagged forward, overcome with exhaustion. Hide caught him by the shoulders. With an amused huff, Hide wrapped one arm around his back and the other under his knees. He lifted Kaneki easily.

“She said you were a prince,” Kaneki mumbled. “Was she telling the truth?” He struggled to keep his eyes open, but he got the feeling that Hide was smirking at him.

“I’m a prince. Demons with royal blood are considered exceptionally powerful. But even the most powerful demon can be bent to a human’s will.” He gave Kaneki a measured look, although his tone wasn’t accusing. Still, it made Kaneki’s shoulders tense.

“_You _made a deal with _me_.” Kaneki wanted power. “Why would you ever give up power?”

Hide laughed at his confused expression. “Sometimes giving up a little power is worth it in the end. After all, you give power every day to keep me here. You could hardly even summon that spirit.”

Kaneki grit his teeth. “That’s because you promised to train me. To make me stronger. Should I be regretting my decision?’

“No,” Hide said, voice serious. “I’ll make you more powerful than you could ever imagine.”

Kaneki wondered what Hide wanted with him. He was eager for Kaneki to get more powerful, and put nearly every moment of his time in the human realm towards it. “Why?”

Hide froze and gazed down at Kaneki with a considering expression. Then he grinned. “Me telling you why was never part of our deal, now was it?”

Kaneki clenched his jaw. “Fine. I’ll figure it out eventually.”

“I’m _sure _you will,” Hide’s voice was too gleeful for Kaneki’s tastes.

Would Kaneki find out Hide’s motives before it was too late?


	4. Chapter 4

Hide’s idea of celebrating Kaneki’s _great accomplishment _of summoning a mere ghost was dragging Kaneki to town for a few drinks – _after_ Kaneki recovered of course. Hide made Kaneki drink more of the black, bubbling substance. Although, Kaneki didn’t react quiet as negatively to it as before. All it really did was make him tired and extremely dizzy. Kaneki passed out for a couple days afterwards, but woke up feeling even better and stronger than before.

While Kaneki was passed out, Hide busied himself with going through Kaneki’s books, sorting bad from worse. Meanwhile, he was writing the correct information in a blank book Kaneki bought. His handwriting was scratchy, and barely legible, but Kaneki was sure he would get used to reading it.

Kaneki awoke in the late afternoon. He washed up and dressed in some fresh clothes – apparently his demon did his laundry for him. He was about to make some tea and sit down to study when Hide grabbed him by the elbow and dragged him out of the door, declaring their celebration.

Kaneki wasn’t a fan of sake shops. They stunk and had too many drunk people for his liking. He frowned and tucked himself into a corner with a low table. He sat cross-legged on his tatami mat while Hide gave the waitress their order.

Hide got some warm sake for both of them, as well as some grilled vegetables and chicken skewers. Kaneki sipped his sake as they waited for the food. Despite his dislike of sake shops, he didn’t mind alcohol, and he _did_ like a warm drink on a cool night – although he would have preferred the tea he was preparing at home.

Hide downed his sake quickly, seeming unaffected by the alcohol. “It’s good, but I’ve had better.” He didn’t say it _loudly_, but Kaneki noticed a couple other customers turn their way with sneers.

Kaneki hummed softly, sipping his own. He noticed a larger man sitting at a table, staring at Hide with an indecipherable expression. Kaneki kept an eye on him, but as Hide and him went through their rounds of drinks, he didn’t approach.

As the waitress brought over their first round of food, Kaneki couldn’t help but notice the growing tension in the air. People were glancing in their direction with annoyed expressions. Kaneki didn’t know what to make of it.

Hide shoved some chicken in his direction, telling him to try it. Kaneki took it without complaint, but didn’t really taste it as he chewed mechanically. After they finished their food and drinks, Kaneki was eager to leave, no matter how much Hide wanted to lounge around. He was talking, but it was mostly inconsequential – Hide reminiscing about the past times he’d been summoned. Kaneki tuned him out.

Until Hide snapped his fingers in his face. “_Hello_? Are you even listening?” Kaneki was tempted to call his expression a _pout._

Kaneki raised an eyebrow. “Have you noticed the way people are looking at us?” Kaneki was used to it, since rumour usually flew around about his practices. But this wasn’t directed at him. It was directed at Hide.

Hide glanced about. “Oh. That. Yeah, that’s normal for me. People can generally sense that I’m _off_.” He grinned. “Sometimes they react violently. It’s fun.”

Kaneki pinched the bridge of his nose. That wasn’t exactly his definition of _fun_. “We should get going then. Before one of them gets any ideas.”

Hide frowned, but paid their bill. Kaneki was unsure of how he managed to get money. He was slightly unnerved when Hide’s gaze flitted in his direction. He winked. Kaneki would have to check his secret stash when they got home – and when Hide wasn’t looking.

“Aw, man. I wanted to have a few more drinks too.” Hide folded his arms behind his head as they headed out.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kaneki noticed the large man that was watching them. He paid his bill as well, then followed them out of the door.

_“Hide_,” Kaneki hissed. “We’re being followed.”

Hide’s expression brightened. He stepped off the path in town and into the darkness between the buildings. Kaneki swore and followed after him. The man followed as well. Hide pulled to a stop suddenly, almost making Kaneki crash into him. Kaneki didn’t really know what to think as Hide snapped a hand around his wrist and yanked him behind him.

Kaneki turned just in time to see a blade come down towards Hide’s chest. Kaneki’s eyes widened, but Hide stopped the heavy strike by grabbing the man’s forearm. Hide was smaller than him, but _much _stronger. The man trembled with exertion as he tried to force the blade down, while Hide stood relaxed, grinning.

“So you’re trying to kill me? Why?”

The man sneered. “You should _already_ be dead.”

Hide turned to Kaneki, pleased. “_Not_ my fault.”

“What do you mean, _not your fault?_” Kaneki gaped as Hide abruptly twisted the man’s arm, breaking it.

Hide kicked the man in the leg, resulting in another sharp crack. The man screamed in pain as he fell. Hide stood above him, still holding the man’s broken arm as he prodded his broken leg with his foot. “Definitely something this host body did while he was alive. I suspected as much. Normally there isn’t more than one person in a grave, right? Or is that something new you humans are doing?”

“No,” Kaneki sighed as Hide twisted the man’s arm with glee. “It’s not.”

The man whimpered as Hide grabbed him by the throat. “Tell me, why are you trying to kill me?”

The man sneered. “You _know _what you did.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t make me torture you.” Hide’s grin was cruel.

The man swallowed thickly. “You stole from our client. And you thought you could get away with it. _Traitor._”

Hide hummed. “I supposed I’m just a rascal, aren’t I? I’m curious, did you ever find what I stole?”

The man’s glare answered that question.

Hide released the man, leaving him to writhe in pain. “It looks like we have a treasure hunt, Kaneki. And a fun one at that. Do you think I should kill him, or let him live?”

Kaneki drew his knife and sighed. He supposed he couldn’t convince Hide to pass on a treasure hunt. “We need more time to gather information. And we need to know who is going to be coming after us.” He approached the man and crouched at his side. “You’re going to tell us everything about the organization you work for. Or I’ll let my friend here go a few rounds with you.”

The man told them that they worked for an underground organization that spanned across the entire region. They specialized in theft and assassinations. Even he didn’t know what their numbers were. Though there were at least a dozen in the town currently. Unfortunately, he knew nothing more about what Hide’s host body – Haru – stole. He didn’t even know _what _he stole. Just that everyone in the organization knew he was to be killed.

The man wheezed as Kaneki pulled back and glanced at Hide. “Are you _sure_ there’s no use for human body parts in any rituals?”

Hide shook his head. “Aside from summoning his spirit once he’s dead, no. You may want to keep a piece in case you have more questions for him later.”

Kaneki shrugged. With a quick slice with his knife, Kaneki slit the man’s throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be done days ago, but work and life got super crazy. Glad I had a couple hours this morning to finish this up. Hope you enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

When they got back to Kaneki’s home that night, the last thing he expected was for Hide to shove him against the wall. The gold in Hide’s eyes overtook the entirety of the iris, glowing eerily in the dark room. Kaneki couldn’t help the way his breath caught when Hide’s hand brushed against his hip.

Kaneki’s body was still thrumming with adrenaline from his kill. It wasn’t like it was his first, but he hadn't killed what he considered _a lot_. They were always people that came after him first, or they were scum who didn’t deserve to live. Yet he never quite felt like he did now. His whole body was singing and he felt more alive than he ever had before.

When Hide leaned down and crashed their lips together, Kaneki responded eagerly. Hide tasted like sake and ginger. Kaneki grabbed Hide by the waist and pulled them closer together. Hide hummed, tongue tracing Kaneki’s bottom lip before slipping inside.

Kaneki couldn’t help but gasp when Hide’s threaded his fingers through Kaneki’s hair and pulled roughly, breaking the kiss. Instead, his lips trailed along Kaneki’s throat. “You’re so beautiful.” Hide’s other hand trailed down Kaneki’s arm, and for a brief moment, Kaneki thought he was going to hold his hand. Instead, he grabbed Kaneki’s wrist, bringing his hand up to inspect it. It was flecked with blood from the kill. Kaneki shivered when Hide licked some of the blood away. Hide moaned. “But you’d be even better _covered_ in blood.”

Hide pressed their lips together again, Kaneki tasting the blood on Hide’s. He wanted to be disgusted, but when Hide’s thigh pressed between his legs, all rational thoughts went out the window. Hide broke the kiss, opting to suck and bite at Kaneki’s throat again. Kaneki was sure he was leaving marks, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. It felt incredible. All Kaneki could do was clutch at Hide’s back and urge him on with moans.

It was only when Hide slid his hand down Kaneki’s pants that he came back to his senses. Kaneki shoved at Hide’s shoulders, forcing him away. He was surprised at how easily Hide backed off, though he still stared at Kaneki with hunger.

“Too far?” Hide licked his swollen lips.

Kaneki couldn’t help but closely follow the motion with his eyes, making Hide smirk. Still, Hide kept his distance as Kaneki ducked his head, cheeks burning as he caught his breath. He wordlessly brushed past Hide, closing his bedroom door behind him. He sat on the edge of his bed, running his hands through his hair.

_What the hell was he doing?_

He took off his clothes, which were already in disarray. Absently, he set the small pouch from his pocket on the bedside table. It contained a finger from the assassin they killed earlier. He would clean it the next day, so he only had the bones left. That way he wouldn’t have to deal the smell of rot. But currently, he also didn’t want to leave his room and deal with Hide.

If he went out, Kaneki would probably throw himself at him. Kaneki wasn’t ashamed to admit he found power attractive. And Hide was _very_ powerful. Kaneki ran his fingers over the hickeys on his neck, shivering when he felt the sensitive skin. Part of him ached to have Hide’s lips on him again, but another part of him couldn’t help but think it was a terrible idea.

It was probably the same part of him that said making a deal with a demon wasn’t a good idea. He ignored it before – but that wasn’t the point now.

Hide was nothing like he expected. Throughout Kaneki’s past studies, he only read that demons were evil. But then again, there were plenty of the things the books got wrong on necromancy. While Hide certainly wasn’t _good_, he wasn’t an unfeeling monster. Well, at least no more than Kaneki was. Hide had a personality, and Kaneki was tentative to say he enjoyed having him around. He was getting _attached_. And that never meant anything good.

Kaneki didn’t know what Hide thought of him – other than the fact that he was _using_ Kaneki for something. Something that Kaneki didn’t even know yet. Hide offered power – but Kaneki wasn’t foolish enough to think it came without a price. Even then – it was all worth it to him. If he had enough power, nobody could take anything from him.

Not his friends. _His family_. _Never again._

Kaneki bathed in enough blood over the past two years to avenge them. And if he ever loved anyone again, he would have no issue tearing apart whoever threatened them.

Kaneki curled up in bed, forcing away the thoughts of what he lost. He’d gotten better at it over the past few months. It no longer felt like he was drowning in the memories. He laid his hand on his chest and breathed deeply.

Tucked away with his most precious belongings were several tins. They were filled with his friends’ bones. He tried to call them a number of times, although they never answered. He didn’t know why. No book he ever found told him _why_. He wanted to ask Hide, but he didn’t trust him enough. Talking about his past made Kaneki feel vulnerable.

Kaneki ached to pull out the tins like he often did, but he couldn’t risk it with Hide around. Instead, he pulled his blankets around him and hugged himself.

Tears filled his eyes and he wiped away at them hastily. His hair – long and desperately needing a trim – tickled at his cheeks. He pushed it back angrily, accidentally pulling more than a few stands loose. He winced at the pain.

He pulled his hand away from his head, some of the hair falling on the bed in front of him – a mixture of black and silver. Kaneki froze, then picked up one of the silver strands. At twenty, he was young to be going grey. But it wasn’t _grey._ The hair glistened too much to be considered normal.

Hide had said before that change wasn't always pleasant. But how exactly was Kaneki changing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be ambitious and try to update for Thursday


	6. Chapter 6

A couple weeks passed as Hide continued to train Kaneki, alternating between harsh days where he pushed himself so hard that he almost passed out, followed by rest. The rest intervals were getting shorter, to the point where he was fine after a good night’s sleep and a cup of black liquid. It hardly fazed him to drink it anymore.

Kaneki’s hair was continuing to change colour, to the point where he had hardly any black left in it. The hair that was once silver lightened further, to a near white. When the sun hit it, it glittered like a fine layer of freshly fallen snow. Hide had taken to running his fingers through it occasionally, and pouted whenever Kaneki mentioned cutting it.

They were out behind Kaneki’s home. Kaneki was sitting in front of Hide with his hands in his lap. Meanwhile, Hide was pacing about eagerly. They had waited for Kaneki to gain more strength to do this. He’d certainly never tried to the summon the spirit of the body a demon was possessing. It was foreign territory for Hide too.

“I’ve never really cared about my previous hosts,” Hide had said once. “But this one is so _interesting_.”

Kaneki was sure he was just caught up in the thrill of the treasure hunt – as well as the inevitable danger when the assassins and thieves in town came after them.

Kaneki folded his hands in his lap and concentrated, hoping nothing would go wrong. The most difficult thing was he had to use the body to call to Haru, and pull him over to the living world. But to Kaneki, the body had always belonged to Hide. Attaching an entirely different person to it was difficult.

Thankfully, Hide was excited and not impatient. His pacing never ceased, but he didn’t harass Kaneki. He kept quiet and let him work. It was strange to think that Hide _believed _in him. Probably more than Kaneki believed in himself.

After a half-hour of concentrating, Kaneki felt the spirit appear. Hide made a sound of delight. Kaneki opened his eyes to see the spirit of Haru looking rather confused as Hide circled him with an eager expression.

“We look exactly the same,” Hide grinned.

Kaneki huffed, out of breath. “What exactly did you expect?”

Haru was silent, staring at Hide with narrowed eyes. When he was done with his examination, his gaze turned to Kaneki. His lips pursed. “Necromancy,” he stated. He didn’t say it with distaste or hate like some people.

“We have some questions for you –“ Kaneki began.

“Yeah,” Hide added enthusiastically. “Like what did you steal to get yourself killed?”

Haru frowned at him. “And why exactly should I answer that question, _Prince_?”

“Because maybe I’ll decide not to tear you limb from limb.” Hide smiled cheekily.

Haru scoffed. “You’d have to find me first. Good luck with that.” There was a flicker of magic, hardly tangible. Kaneki stiffened in response. Magic was one of the few things that connected the spirit world and the mortal world. But there was no need to worry. Haru launched no attack. Instead, he simply disappeared.

Kaneki gaped. “How –“

Hide grinned. “Light magic. He’s able to bend the rays of light around himself, turning him invisible. I haven’t heard of anyone so talented in light magic in a long time.” Hide shook his head. “Unluckily for him, you’re much more talented in Necromancy. He’s still in the area. I’m sure you can sense that. I want you to pull him towards me.”

Kaneki frowned. He’d never tried to move a spirit once he summoned it, but he supposed it was possible in theory. He gritted his teeth as he stared at the air in front of Hide, pouring his energy into summoning Haru’s spirit to that spot. Sure enough, Kaneki caught a faint shimmer in the air. Hide snapped an arm out and grabbed him, making Haru cry out as his magic fell.

Hide’s grin widened. “See? It’s best you start talking.”

Kaneki stood shakily and went to stand beside Hide. “How are you touching him?”

“I’m not of the world. I can easily interact with anything from my own.” Hide hummed. “Do you think tearing off his left or his right arm would make him talk quicker?”

“Hold up.” Haru sneered at them. “_Fine_. I’ll talk.”

“Smart.” Still, Hide didn’t let him go.

Haru sighed. “I was doing a job for a wealthy family. The husband’s mistress stole jewellery from the wife. I was to steal the jewellery back and kill her. But it was a little harder of a job than I expected.” Haru glanced towards Kaneki. “She was practitioner. Like us. And she didn’t go after the jewellery because it was expensive. There was a necklace. I could feel its power the moment I saw it.” Haru licked his lips, his gaze distant. “The moment I touched it – I’d never felt so powerful.”

Hide hummed. “But it didn’t save you in the end, did it?”

“My magic isn’t offensive. Not like the assassin that came after me.” Haru’s fists clenched. “He killed me, and I’m sure he took the necklace for himself.”

“So the guy we killed then wasn’t the one who killed you.” Kaneki’s attention was piqued at the idea of a necklace enhancing magic power. Maybe Hide had the right idea with this treasure hunt. “What can you tell us about him? What type of magic does he use?”

“He goes by Ichi. He uses fire-based magic. Other than that, I don’t know much about the guy. Except that he takes on the hardest, highest-paying assassinations.” Haru glanced between them. “Is that enough? Can you let me go now?”

Kaneki smiled placatingly. “For now. But if I need anything, I _will_ call you again. And you’d better not try to run away next time. It won’t be much of a chase.” He dismissed Haru with a wave of his hand, turning towards Hide, who had a speculative expression. “Is it possible? For a necklace to enhance magic powers?” Eagerness seeped into his voice.

“It… is. I’ve heard of such a thing before, though it was believed to be destroyed. If it’s what I think it is – but no, it can’t be…” Hide started to walk away, leaving Kaneki without answers yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished this chapter sooner than expected. Next one should be coming soon!


	7. Chapter 7

Early one morning, Hide wanted to take a walk through the forest nearby town. While Hide would have been more than happy to trek aimlessly through the woods, Kaneki insisted they follow the river so they wouldn’t get lost.

Kaneki wasn’t sure _why_, but Hide was _very_ insistent, so Kaneki went along with it. When they reached a bank of the river that was relatively flat and out of the wind, they took a break. Hide produced a couple rice balls and a book on necromancy. Kaneki wasn’t sure where Hide pulled them from, considering he wasn’t carrying a bag. Knowing Hide, to was some strange, demon pocket-dimension. Kaneki was a little skeptical as he took the food, but it tasted fine. He ate and began to read.

Kaneki frowned at the book in his hands. It was – of course – on necromancy. But for the first time since Kaneki began researching the subject, he found himself uninterested. It was partly because of Hide telling him how worthless the information was in such books. However, it was mostly because the only thing he could think about was the necklace.

Only a few pages in, Kaneki sighed and set the book aside on the grass beside him.

“You’re restless.” Hide was laid beside Kaneki on his back, eyes closed and arms folded behind his head.

“Of course I’m restless.” Kaneki said. “Why aren’t we going after the necklace?” Hide was more than eager to get his hands on Haru’s mysterious treasure before. Had he lost interest now that they knew what is was? “Why are we just lying about?”

Hide groaned and turned to face Kaneki, propped up on his elbow. “Yes, my power-hungry little mortal, we’ll go after necklace. Eventually. But there is no rush. I’m not going to let a foul fire magician ruin everything I’ve been working towards by killing you.” Hide brushed a lock of hair off Kaneki cheek. “I don’t know why you’re so obsessed with it. You have something much more helpful right in front of you.” Hide pouted.

Kaneki gaped at him. “Are you _jealous_?”

“Kaneki.” Hide drew out his name with a whine. “If you don’t pay attention to me, I might die.”

“Don’t be dramatic. I’m sure you’ll live.” Kaneki rolled his eyes. “I’m not the only one who wants the necklace. I know you want it too.”

“I do.” Hide’s grin faded as he turned to gaze up at the sky. “It’s far more valuable to me than it is to you.”

“Why?”

Hide smirked at him.

Kaneki sighed. “Then why are we waiting to get it?”

“I told you, I don’t want you to die. Besides, I have a plan. And you need to be a little stronger yet for it to work.” Hide traced his fingers along Kaneki’s arm.

“Are you going to tell me your plan? Or are you going to keep that from me too?” Kaneki batted Hide’s arm away.

Hide hummed. “We have no idea where this fire magician is. We need inside information, but if we go around torturing it out of other members of the organization, we’re likely to draw attention to ourselves. What we need is an inside man – or demon, in this case. We can capture a member of the organization and kill them. Then you can summon a lesser demon into their body, and we send them on their way. They gather the information for us, we find out where the fire magician is, we kill him and get the necklace.”

“Easy. Except you expect me to summon another demon?” Summoning Hide had drained Kaneki enough. He didn’t want to think about what summoning another demon would do to him.

_“A lesser demon_,” Hide corrected. “But yes, hence why you need to get stronger. Us demons will fight the elemental. I don’t want you getting caught in the cross-fire. If this necklace is what I think it is…” Hide shook his head. “I want you staying out of the way.”

Kaneki scowled at that, but couldn’t disagree. Like Haru, his magic wasn’t offensive. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t handy with a knife. Nor was it the first time he took down an elemental magician. Hide didn’t need to know that. Kaneki would do what he had to.

“For now, _rest_.” Hide pulled another rice ball out of nowhere. “And eat. You need to keep your energy up. I’m going to be working you harder than ever.”

Kaneki couldn’t help but smile as he took the rice ball. “I’ll count on it.”

Hide was staring at him, a peculiar expression on his face. He reached towards Kaneki, then quickly aborted the movement. Then he glared down at his hand as if it betrayed him. Kaneki raised an eyebrow at him, and Hide scowled like he’d been caught doing something wrong.

Kaneki wondered what he was thinking. He never knew. Not really. Hide’s main motives were still a mystery to him. And he doubted he would get anything out of questioning him.

“Thank you, for the book.” Kaneki broke the awkward silence between them.

Hide jolted as if he was shocked. “Er, yeah. I figured you would like it. Even though it’s bullshit.”

Kaneki picked the book back up, figuring he should at least read it if Hide went out of his way to get it for him. He wondered why Hide would do such a thing. It didn’t really serve a purpose to either of them. It just made Kaneki happy to have it.

Kaneki glanced towards Hide, whose expression was surprisingly soft. Kaneki was overcome with a sudden urge to kiss him. Kaneki marked his place in the book and set it down carefully. He rolled over Hide, arms planted on either side of his head. Hide’s eyes widened when Kaneki leaned down to kiss him.

When Hide abruptly switched their positions, Kaneki expected Hide to crash their lips together with the same passion as when he shoved Kaneki up against the wall. Instead, Hide stood up, leaving Kaneki alone on the ground, confused.

“We should head back,” was all he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up much sooner than expected. Enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

When they were ready to enact Hide’s plan, Kaneki opted to summon Haru rather than the assassin they killed before. Haru was already scared enough of Hide to give them straight answers, instead of the assassin, who they would have to threaten all over again.

Through Haru’s instruction, they found a young woman around Kaneki’s age, digging the dirt out from under her fingernails with a knife as she walked out of the town’s sake shop. They’d been watching her for a while. She was a skilled pickpocket, movements hardly traceable as she snatched valuables from the men who attempted to hit on her.

It was entertaining to watch, but Kaneki wasn’t eager to get close. He imagined she was just as fast with her knife as she was her hands. Hide was unperturbed, following after her. Kaneki hurried to catch up with him, worry making his brow crease.

They’d hardly spoken in days. Gone were the casual touches between them. Hide seemed to be distancing himself, but Kaneki couldn’t imagine why.

“Miss!” A grin split Hide’s lips as he called out to her when they were finally away from anyone on the roads. He waved his hand enthusiastically to get her attention, though Kaneki doubted she could have missed him. “I believe you have something of mine.”

Her lips pursed, like she was trying to remember whether she stole from him or not. Her knife glinted as she adjusted her grip. Hide approached her with unwavering confidence. He kept his gaze open and friendly.

“I believe you stole my heart,” Hide cried dramatically.

Kaneki grimaced, but had to have faith in him.

Hide was powerful, and all he needed was to get into range and get a hold of her. Convenient, considering with her knife, she was a short-ranged fighter. She looked Hide up and down, then grinned. She probably figured he wasn’t a threat. She let him approach, and that was her mistake.

He grabbed her at the same time she sliced outwards with her knife. Her expression was twisted with surprise and anger as Hide’s hand came down on her shoulder. He was quicker than she expected. Stronger too. Hide effortlessly knocked the knife out of her hand with a swat, then tightened his hold on her. Kaneki heard the snap of her collarbone. Her eyes widened with disbelief as Hide grinned. His eyes flickered to gold. Then he reached out with his other hand and wrapped it around her throat. The snap of it breaking was something Kaneki didn’t think he would ever forget.

Kaneki approached as her body flopped lifelessly to the ground. Hide was grinning, though his hand went to his side, where the woman slashed at him.

“You’re hurt.” Kaneki grabbed at Hide’s shirt, trying to move it aside to see the injury. Fear clenched his gut. What happened to demons when they got injured? In the moonlight, the blood spreading on Hide’s shirt looked black. But upon closer inspection, Kaneki saw that it _was _black. Kaneki pulled at Hide’s shirt again, and despite Hide trying to stop him, he was too late. Kaneki saw the way it bubbled out of the wound all to familiarly.

Kaneki stomach turned. He let go of Hide’s shirt and staggered back a couple steps.

“Kaneki –“ Hide began.

“What the hell?” Kaneki couldn’t take his eyes off the black blood. “You – I –“ Kaneki’s stomach turned again as he remembered having a glass of the black liquid with his breakfast. He thought it was some potion Hide was making, but he never imagined it was…

Demon blood.

“What do you want from me?” Kaneki swallowed thickly as he thought of his changed appearance. What did drinking demon blood do to a human? “What are you turning me into?”

Hide approached him slowly, one arm extended. The other swiped across his abdomen, healing the wound in seconds. All that was left was the black blood, smeared across Hide’s stomach. “I’m turning you into the best version of yourself. The most powerful version. Is that not what you want?”

It _was_. After the first time, Kaneki never asked what the black drink was again. It wasn’t just because he was scared of the answer. It was also because he was scared that what is was wouldn’t matter to him. It offered him more power, and that was all he wanted.

“Am I even human anymore?” Kaneki’s head spun.

Hide grimaced. “Mostly. But what’s so good about being a human anyway?” Hide sighed softly. “Look, this isn’t the way I wanted you find out. I was going to tell you.”

“_When?_”

“When the time seemed right.” Hide averted his gaze. Kaneki damn well knew the time would have _never_ seemed right. Hide kept more than one secret from him. He never told Kaneki anything.

_“As if._” Kaneki stepped away just before Hide could touch him with an outstretched hand. He refused to believe what he saw was _hurt_ in Hide’s eyes. He crossed his arms over his stomach, trying to stop it from turning. “We should bring her to the sigil, before anyone sees us here.” He strode away.

They had work to do.

By the time he reached his front door, Hide had already caught up. He was carrying the corpse with him, expression pinched with anger. They headed down to the basement, where Hide deposited the corpse in the middle of the pre-made circle. He stood off to the side and stared at Kaneki expectantly.

_“Well?_” His voice filled the room, weighing on Kaneki with an invisible pressure.

Kaneki glared at him for a long moment, letting Hide know he wouldn’t be so easily intimidated. Hide met his glare with one of his own, but was the first to drop his gaze. He gave a small nod. Kaneki turned his focus to the sigil. In center was piece of bone. According to Hide, summoning demons was the same as summoning spirits. If you wanted to summon a specific one, you needed a piece of them.

Kaneki began the incantation he practiced countless times.

The air around them stilled as Kaneki began the ritual. It wasn’t long, but Kaneki could feel the drain on his power immediately. It took everything he had to simply not pass out. Still, the words flowed out of him, eased with practice.

Kaneki uttered the last few sentences. The room around him spun, fading into black. Just before he passed out, he saw the corpse sit up, inhuman eyes boring into his. Strong arms caught him before he could hit the ground.


	9. Chapter 9

Kaneki was floating. His mind was blank with a kind of numbness that came when the body was put through too much trauma to feel anything. He was drifting, grasping at nothing, unable to pull himself back. He wondered if this was what a soul leaving its body felt like.

He couldn’t grasp anything, but _something_, deep in the darkness grasped _him_. Pain burned through his body, worming through his veins. He was gasping. Then he was choking.

Hide was shushing him, running a soothing hand through Kaneki’s hair, his other was locked around Kaneki’s waist, holding him firmly as he struggled to breath. “It’s okay,” Hide said. “You’ll be okay. Drink.”

Hide’s neck was sliced at the junction with his shoulder. His blood flowed into Kaneki’s mouth. Kaneki breathed shakily through his nose, then swallowed a mouthful. And then another. More feeling gradually came back, and gradually the pain faded as well. He was left feeling tired to the bone, hardly able to keep his eyes open. But he was afraid to close them. He was afraid he would start fading again.

The slice on Hide’s neck was starting to close, but he quickly reopened it with the knife in his hand – _Kaneki’s _knife. He encouraged Kaneki to drink more, and after a moment’s hesitation, he did. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about drinking demon blood. Instead, he focused on Hide’s arms around him. Hide’s lips against his temple as he whispered reassurances.

When the wound closed, Kaneki rested his head against Hide’s shoulder. The demon blood didn’t usually affect him negatively anymore. Maybe it was him almost dying, maybe it was the amount he drank, or maybe it was both. But it felt like it was burning a hole in his stomach.

Kaneki couldn’t help but cringe at the pain, turning his face against Hide’s shoulder as he grimaced. He fisted his hands in Hide’s shirt, knuckles turning white. Hide stood, lifting him with ease. The swaying motion as Hide carried him up the stairs reminded him of the first time they met.

Hide laid Kaneki in bed. He pushed the hair off of Kaneki’s face tenderly.

“I’ll be right back,” he whispered.

He returned with a wet cloth, cleaning what Kaneki guessed was leftover demon blood off his face and neck. He probably only managed to half-finish by the time Kaneki curled into a ball, pain building in his stomach – spreading, like it had for the first time.

Hide tossed the cloth to the side. He laid in bed with Kaneki, wrapping him up in his arms. “I’m sorry. It’s more potent from the source, but I had no choice. Rest now.”

Kaneki clutched onto him, his tears soaking into Hide’s already bloodstained shirt. His breaths came out in rasps, and Hide’s gentle caresses over his back did little to ease his pain. It was an unwelcome mercy when the darkness took him again.

~<3<3<3~

Hide was still with him when he awoke, body aching, but no longer burning. Kaneki felt more powerful, but not powerful enough. He wanted to lay down for days and do nothing but sleep. Hide must have finished cleaning him up at some point, since he was thankfully clean of blood, and dressed in fresh clothes. As was Hide.

Sensing he was awake, Hide trailed his fingers down Kaneki’s cheek, all the way to his chin. He tilted Kaneki’s face up so that he would gaze into his eyes, expression pinched with concern.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“Better,” Kaneki’s throat burned as he spoke. But it was the truth, he was _better_. His power reserves were no longer at zero, and the only drain he felt on them was Hide, which meant… “The other demon…?”

“I dismissed him.” Hide’s expression was apologetic. “I pushed you too hard, too soon.” Hide looked like he had more to say, but he bit his lip instead.

“You’re not the only one who was pushing too hard,” Kaneki admitted. Hide’s feeling of invincibility was contagious. Kaneki supposed he got caught up in it. “We should wait a bit. Before we try again.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Kaneki snapped his gaze to Hide’s. “What do you mean by that?”

Hide wet his lips. “This necklace… it’s not. It’s not something you _need_. It’s something I want – but…”

“Hide…” Kaneki was so tired of not having the answers. “What exactly _is_ this necklace?”

“It’s…” With Hide’s flighty expression, Kaneki was sure he was going to be brushed off again. He was wrong. “It’s demon made. It’s the bone of a demon, bathed in demon blood until it turns black. When worn by a human, it offers then power. But – but you have me. So I could always just make you one. Of your own.”

Kaneki didn’t know what to think of Hide’s offer, or why he even offered it. “Why did you want it?”

Hide sighed. “I only know of one made recently. It was made by the current King of the spirit realm. It was given to a necromancer named Rize Kamishiro, who helped him imprison the past King here in the moral realm. He betrayed her, and destroyed the necklace, or so he said. That was centuries ago.” Hide’s gaze was heavy. “But now I believe it’s here. A _piece _of him is here.”

Kaneki’s stomach twisted. “You want to summon him. And… and you want me to help imprison him, like Rize did to the past King?”

“Yes.”

Kaneki’s head spun. “_Why_? Why would I help you?”

“Because I would offer you the same thing Furuta offered Rize. To come rule with me. In the spirit realm.”

Kaneki scoffed. “And that worked out so well for her.”

“It wasn’t what I planned on offering, at first. I would have offered you just the necklace. Or a constant supply of my blood to keep you in power, or perhaps a demon companion to keep you safe as you practice your magic. But…” Hide reached for Kaneki’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “I want you at my side.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday!


	10. Chapter 10

Kaneki wanted to try and summon the demon again, despite Hide’s protests. _‘It’s not worth defeating Furuta if it results in you dying.’_ Kaneki didn’t plan on dying anytime soon. He knew he could grow more powerful. He would just have to be patient as they trained his power reserves.

The next time Kaneki tried, he _would _succeed. So he practiced, drank Hide’s blood, and rested. Over and over again.

One night, Kaneki awoke from a nightmare, still smelling burnt flesh. Hide shifted in bed next to him, golden eyes bright in the darkness. It was the middle of the night. Kaneki believed Hide never slept, but he always had a content and relaxed expression when Kaneki woke up beside him.

He carded his fingers through Kaneki’s hair, which was damp with sweat. Kaneki shivered and pulled the blankets tighter around them, resting his head against Hide’s chest. Hide was always warm, running a few degrees hotter than would be considered normal.

Kaneki wished he had more clothes on, but that didn’t seem important earlier in the night, when Hide’s lips were hot against his skin. More often than not, the intimacy of drinking blood from Hide’s shoulder after a long training session led to them getting frisky.

Kaneki tried to focus on the positive things, like Hide’s arms around him, or the way he was running his hand up and down Kaneki’s back in a soothing motion. Instead, the images of the night his friends died kept playing behind his eyelids.

Hide trusted Kaneki with his motives and his secrets, and Kaneki decided to do the same.

He took a deep breath. “When I was a teenager, my family threw me out because they found out I was a magician.” Those were the days Kaneki wasn’t sure about his powers. When he tried anything and everything, and usually failed at it. “Shortly after I discovered necromancy, I met a group of traveling magicians. They weren’t particularly talented, but they were kind. They used their magic to help people. One was gifted with water magic, and she liked to create things. She helped farmers develop better irrigation systems to keep their crops watered. Her adopted little sister was gifted in divination, and loved to tell people’s fortunes. My other friend was gifted in earth magic, and he built things to last. His girlfriend, with a minor affinity for wind magic traveled with us.

“I was so different from them, so I didn’t know why they accepted me. But I was thankful that they did. I didn’t know their past, and they didn’t know mine, but I think we were all running from something. I don’t know who the assassin was sent for. Me, or them. I never asked.” Deep down, Kaneki didn’t want to know. He was terrified of the answer. “It only takes the smallest spark to create a raging fire, especially with the help of lamp oil. I was away at the graveyard, performing a summoning. By the time I returned…

“I tracked down the assassin. He was a lightning magician, and he was so weak, it was pitiful. I expected more of a fight. He shocked me through my blade the first time I stabbed him, but it wasn’t enough to save him.”

Kaneki thought of his friends again. He ached to pull out the box containing their bones. He didn’t have to hide it anymore, but he also didn’t want to leave Hide’s embrace.

“Days after the fire had gone out, I sifted through the ashes for my friend’s skeletons. I took bones with me, so I could speak to them again. But, no matter how many times I try to summon them, they never answer me.” Kaneki tried to keep the tremor out of his voice. “Why can’t I talk to them?”

Hide’s hand froze on Kaneki’s back, then he resumed the massage. “There’s no rule or limitations. Any necromancer can technically summon any spirit, but sometimes…”

Kaneki’s heart ached in his chest. “Sometimes _what_?”

“When emotions are too powerful, they can cloud your concentration. You know as well as I do that the focus for summoning a spirit is delicate. Emotions can sabotage your efforts.”

Kaneki pulled away from him slightly. “You’re telling me I’m sabotaging myself? That I can’t summon them because I can’t –“ Tears blurred his eyes. “It’s my fault I can’t talk to them?”

“It’s not your fault.” Hide cupped Kaneki’s cheeks, forcing him to look up. Hide’s gaze was enchanting. “Being upset with yourself will do you no good. I have faith in you. You’re the most powerful necromancer I’ve ever met, and you can do anything you put your mind to. You’ll try again, until you succeed. And you _will_ succeed.”

The confidence Hide had in him nestled itself close to his heart.

“And even if you can’t – when you come to the spirit world with me, you can see them whenever you want.” Hide’s eyes flickered. “I’ll make sure of it. Consider it as an addition to our deal.”

Kaneki exhaled shakily. He leaned forward and touched his lips to Hide’s. Hide responded eagerly, rolling on top of him and covering him with his body. Their legs tangled together, separated by both their pants and the blankets, but their chests were skin-to-skin. Kaneki scraped his nails across Hide’s back as he sucked more and more marks on his neck. Kaneki was sure when they woke up again, he would be covered in them.

Kaneki ran his hands up, tangling one in Hide’s hair and pulling roughly. Hide pulled away from Kaneki’s neck with a low groan and collided their lips together again. Frustrated with the distance still between them, Kaneki struggled to shove Hide’s pants down, though it was difficult with how they were tangled together in the blankets.

Hide laughed, then rolled off Kaneki to pull his own pants off. Kaneki scrambled with his, cheeks burning with both nervousness and passion. When Hide was hovering over him again, eyes filled with hunger, Kaneki raised up to meet him.


	11. Chapter 11

Kaneki tugged his hair up into a ponytail, hair still slightly wet from when he washed up earlier. Hide twirled a finger around a few shorter strands at the nape of his neck. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Hide asked.

Kaneki took a seat in front of the sigil in the basement. They had redrawn it after the last attempt, the lines broad and even. The bone and a fresh body laid in the center.

The body of the woman they previously killed was buried in Kaneki’s garden, since they couldn’t use a half-rotted corpse for their demon summoning. Hide claimed the garden was convenient and the body would serve as good fertilizer. Thankfully, it seemed no one had witnessed the thief’s murder, or no one recognized Kaneki or Hide, since they were left in peace. The organization was unaware of their plotting.

And now, once again curtesy of Haru, they had a fresh body to summon a demon in. He was a young man, around Kaneki’s age. He was a wind user, Kaneki and Hide still sporting cuts on their bodies from his magic. The fight was quick, but painful. Hide’s wounds were all healed, but Kaneki’s were covered, and in some cases, stitched. It had been a while since he’d last had to stitch himself up. Hide had never stitched before. Since Hide was always the one teaching Kaneki, it was odd to teach him something for once. After some instruction and a demonstration on the cut on Kaneki’s thigh, Hide successfully stitched up the cut on Kaneki’s back. The stitches were even and neat, though it took Hide twice as long to do it. The stitches ached and itched, but he tried to not let it affect his concentration as he prepared for the incantation.

The words flowed out of him like a river, well-practiced and smooth. A familiar feeling of tension built in the air as his magic was steadily drained, although not to critical levels like last time. When Kaneki was done, he leaned back against Hide’s legs, hardly able to support himself. He drew in deep breaths as the demon opened its eyes.

Kaneki shivered as Hide spoke to it in length in their language. Once they were finished speaking, the demon glanced towards Kaneki with an indecipherable expression. It walked towards him, then knelt so they were the same height. Pure black eyes bore into his, more unnerving than Hide’s golden ones ever could be. The demon said something and Kaneki felt Hide tense behind him. Hide’s hand landed on Kaneki’s shoulder. He couldn’t understand what Hide said, but it sounded angry.

Once the demon was up the stairs and Kaneki heard the front door closing, Hide scooped him up from the ground. “You did so well.” Hide was mindful of a particularly deep cut along Kaneki’s ribs. “Let’s get you fixed up.”

Kaneki nodded his affirmative against Hide’s chest. He felt almost as drained as the first time he summoned Hide. “What did the demon say?” He was curious about why Hide reacted so negatively to it.

“He’s suspicious of you. The current King is against demons having relationships with humans, because he’s afraid of someone doing to him what he did to the last King.” Which was exactly what they were planning on doing.

Kaneki frowned. “Will he report us?”

“Unlikely. He doesn’t like the current King any more than anyone else. He’ll keep quiet, although he did issue me a warning.”

Kaneki stared up at Hide, struggling to keep his eyes open. “How did he know? That we’re…”

Hide grinned. “He could smell me on you.” Hide laid Kaneki in his bed, crawled over him, and pressed his face against the junction of his throat and shoulder. “Maybe it’s the blood.” Hide pulled down the neckline of Kaneki’s shirt and smirked. “Or maybe it’s because of things like this.” Hide nipped at a hickey, making Kaneki shudder. “Either way, I like it. He knows you’re mine.”

Kaneki huffed a laugh. He tangled his fingers in Hide’s hair. He was so tired he could hardly lift his arm. “And what about you? Are you mine, demon?”

Hide’s eyes glinted. “I was yours the moment I laid eyes on you. I just didn’t know it.” Hide kissed him, none too gently. “I want to see all that you’re capable of. I want you to reach new heights. I want to see how powerful you could be.” Hide’s kiss became rougher. “And you’ll always get more powerful, because you’re never satisfied.” With the way Hide was looking at him, Kaneki was sure their clothes were going to be off quickly.

Instead, Hide forced himself to relax, kissing Kaneki gently.

“You need rest, and you need to regain your energy.”

Kaneki cracked a smile. “Good. I was going to say, if we tried anything I might pass out.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you.” Hide adjusted their positions so that Kaneki way lying on his side. Hide laid in front of him, making a small incision on his neck. He held Kaneki tightly as he drank.

When they were finished, Kaneki laid back. Hide pulled the blankets tight around them, then traced his fingers lightly across a bandage on Kaneki’s cheek.

Kaneki was tired, but he wasn’t ready to surrender himself to the darkness yet. “What is it like? In the spirit world?” Kaneki had lots of ideas from the books he read, but he doubted they were accurate.

Hide hummed. “It’s different, for spirits and demons, even though they exist among each other. For demons… we have order to keep, so mostly, we only interact with the vilest humans. The ones who deserve punishment. We’re not allowed to cause harm to spirits unless they’ve been sentenced to it. The spirits that cause no trouble never have to deal with us. They are free to do as they please, mostly. The only place where demons are free like that is here, in the mortal world. Which is why so many love it here. Although, the spirit world is more… vibrant. For all the senses.”

“How so?” Kaneki asked.

Hide spoke slowly as he tried to explain. About all the types of colours that existed there… about how taste and smell were enhanced. Every touch was more intense, positive or negative. He also told Kaneki about how spirits could take any shape they pleased… about the strange plants that were native there, as well as the animals. Kaneki went to sleep dreaming of it, and wondering if it would live up to his expectations when he finally saw it.


	12. Chapter 12

One week after they sent the lesser demon to infiltrate the organization, they found out the fire magician would be in town in two weeks. Kaneki could tell Hide was frustrated. He didn’t want to wait, but they couldn’t head after him. They heard he was doing a job a few towns over, but Kaneki was in no shape to travel.

The magician was coming to town for another job, an assassination of a merchant during a local festival. There would be plenty of people around, which could potentially make their job harder. Kaneki hoped no one was stupid enough to get in the way.

The two weeks were spent with Kaneki training intermittently, but mostly resting. The lesser demon was still summoned, in case any details changed and they had to alter their plans. In addition, the demon would be helping Hide with the fight. The date the magician was in town was approaching sooner than Kaneki liked.

Food venders were starting to fill the streets, filling the air with the scent of fried goods. Other venders were selling clothing, and various trinkets. There were also stalls dedicated to games and fortune telling. Lanterns were strung up, illuminating the roads.

Hide and Kaneki snagged some takoyaki, the lesser demon hanging back a few meters. They kept an eye on the magician’s target. It was a middle-aged man, selling expensive silks from the northern part of the province. Rather, what were _supposedly _expensive silks, but were really cheap rip-offs. He sold a large amount to the wrong people, and now they wanted him dead.

_Very publicly._

A man dressed all in black, wearing a festival mask representing an _oni _headed straight for him. Hide shoved the rest of his takoyaki in his mouth and strode forward. Kaneki caught his arm.

“Wait.”

Hide pulled up short, his eyebrows raised. “Why?”

“I want to see what he does.”

The fire magician walked up on the merchant and said something to him. The merchant paled, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Then the magician reached out and grabbed the merchant by the face. There was a burst of fire, so big that Kaneki could feel the heat all the way from where he was standing. Then the merchant was screaming, falling to the ground, and thrashing. His whole body was alight. It only took seconds for him to stop moving. But his body burned for much longer.

“Come on.” Hide grabbed Kaneki by the elbow and gestured to the lesser demon. “Let’s go.” He leaned down and whispered in Kaneki’s ear. “Don’t get too close.”

They followed the magician as he moved through the parting crowd. People stumbled and ran away from him as he passed. The once peaceful festival was filled with screams of panic.

Hide said something to the demon in their language. The lesser demon darted forward, feet crunching against the rocks on the road. Hide followed close behind. They attacked the back of the magician at the same time, Hide going high and the lesser demon going low.

The magician dove to the side, rolling out of the way. As he rolled onto his knee, he slammed his hand against the ground, fire racing out from each of his fingertips. Hide jumped out of the way, but the lesser demon hissed as his pant-leg caught on fire.

He patted out the flame with his hands, smoke rising as his flesh was burnt. The magician glared at the lesser demon as he stood back up.

Hide grinned, golden eyes glowing. “You can give us the necklace. Or you can die.”

The magician’s hand drifted to his chest, where the outline of a long object was barely visible beneath his shirt. His eyes hardened as he lifted his palm towards the demons. A stream of fire shot towards them.

They dodged out of the way, but the fire curled towards them every time they moved. Hide was quick on his feet, constantly evading. But the lesser demon wasn’t as fast. After a few dodges, his leg was on fire again. Then his arm. Then his chest. Then his whole body.

Kaneki felt the demon depart as the body became too damaged to host it. He gritted his teeth. The demon siphoned so much of his power to keep summoned, and he was practically useless. Now, Kaneki was too tired to fight competently, and Hide was all by himself.

Kaneki drew his knife, but his grip was too loose, and his hands too shaky. He was worried he wouldn’t last more than a few seconds if he needed to jump into the fray.

The magician was still using smaller bursts of magic than when he killed the merchant. Kaneki wondered how much power he had in him. Was he already conserving his energy? Did he use a good portion of his magic to assassinate the merchant, or was he saving up for something bigger?

Hide was enjoying himself, dodging with some difficulty as the magician sent fire after him. He kept trying to get closer, but was forced away each time. He was no closer to catching his prey than he was at the start.

Kaneki didn’t know how he would summon Hide back if they failed here. Kaneki needed a piece of Hide to summon him, but he would be unable to get one if he departed from his host body. And if Kaneki tried the same summoning that brought Hide to him, it was likely he would receive a different demon.

Kaneki didn’t want any demon other than Hide.

The magician was slowly wearing down. His magic was starting to sputter out. Hide’s grin widened as he started his advance. Kaneki snuck up behind the magician as well, dread pooling in his stomach.

When a magician’s power reserves declined, it was gradual. But this fire magician’s magic suddenly got worse, which could only mean one thing.

He was faking it.

Hide charged in, ready for the kill. But the magician was much larger than him. His reach was longer. Before Hide could snap his neck, the magician pressed his palm over Hide’s face.


	13. Chapter 13

Kaneki was already in motion before the magician’s hand was over Hide’s face. Just as the flames started to lick over his skin, he drove his knife towards the magician’s back. He must have made some type of noise, because the magician twisted out of the way.

Kaneki’s knife sunk into the magician’s shoulder instead. But his hand fell away from Hide’s face. It was burned, and Hide stumbled back. There was anger in his eyes and his blackened, charred lips were curled into a snarl. He fell to his knees, one hand covering his face.

Kaneki had no time to check if he was okay. He didn’t feel Hide depart, so he had to believe he would be well enough to return to the fight later. For now, Kaneki had to hold his own, even as exhausted as he was.

The magician’s left arm was dangling at his side, meaning Kaneki hit something important in his shoulder. Kaneki allowed himself to smile as he circled the magician. He flipped his knife a few times in his hand. He’d never stopped practicing with it, but it was a while since he was in a real fight.

Kaneki darted in, body feeling too clunky for his liking. But no matter how exhausted he was, he was still experienced. He instinctively dodged to the side as the magician sent a stream of fire his way. Kaneki ducked and rolled as it followed after him, until it finally sputtered out.

The only reason he was able to keep up was because the magician was already tiring. Despite the fake-out earlier, the magician was still genuinely slowing down. He knew he was fighting a losing battle with Hide, so he resorted to trickery.

Trickery was something Kaneki was very familiar with.

Kaneki pretended to stumble and fall. The fire magician sent a stream of fire toward him. As Kaneki fell, he twisted, throwing his knife while the magician’s arm was still extended. The knife sunk into the magician’s stomach as Kaneki tucked into a roll and got back on his feet.

Before the magician could recover, he darted forward. The magician’s arms were longer than his, but Kaneki still had the longer range when he kicked. He drove his heel into the handle of his knife, forcing it farther into the magician’s stomach.

The magician gasped in pain, hunching forward. The necklace slid out from under his shirt. There was a blackened rib bone, as dark as onyx, hanging from a leather cord. Kaneki shot a hand out and grabbed it.

Even from just holding it, Kaneki felt a burst of power go through him. It wiped away his exhaustion, but the exhilaration of it left him breathless. The magician grabbed Kaneki’s hand, fingers coated in fire.

Kaneki screamed in pain, but he couldn’t pull out of the magician’s gasp. He forced himself to focus, despite the blinding pain. His blade was still in the magician’s stomach. He reached down and yanked it out with his other hand, making the magician grunt.

If the magician didn’t want to let go, that was fine with him. He stabbed him. Again and again. The magician was already stabbed five times before he knew what was happening. Kaneki’s arm was still burning, but he didn’t stop. Not even when they were falling, Kaneki over the magician. Kaneki drove his blade into the magician’s chest a dozen more times for good measure.

Both of them were covered in blood, and Kaneki’s arm was a mess. He couldn’t feel anything other than pain below his elbow, He couldn’t bring himself to look at it and see the damage.

Instead, he pulled himself up to a kneeling position above the magician. He grabbed the necklace, slipping the leather cord off the magician’s neck. He put it on, struggling a little bit. But as soon as it settled over his chest, he felt a relieving wave of power roll through him.

He swayed, but he was quickly steadied from behind. Kaneki glanced back to find Hide smiling at him. He was panting, expression tense with pain, but he was still there. The skin on his face was half healed, patches of raw, pink skin slowly appearing.

“Relax now. You did well.” He slid an arm around Kaneki’s waist, careful to avoid his injured arm. He helped Kaneki to his feet, easing him off the bloodied corpse under him.

Kaneki handed Hide the knife. “A finger, just in case.”

Hide nodded, knelt, and cut one off for him. He tore off a piece of the magician’s clothing and wrapped it before sliding it into Kaneki’s pocket. He slid Kaneki’s knife into the sheath on his waist. Then he put his arm around Kaneki again and led him away.

A few people who were too foolish to run were still hanging around, staring at them. Kaneki ignored them best he could, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. The pain radiating from his arm was starting to become unbearable. He squeezed his eyes shut, beginning to shiver. He felt cold, even though it was warm.

By the time they reached their home, Hide was almost carrying him. “You’re doing so good. Almost there.” Hide eased Kaneki down onto the edge of his bed, taking Kaneki’s arm in his. Kaneki hissed at the contact. Hide rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, then dragged his nails along his arm, carving gouges into the skin. “Stay still. Breath through it.” Then he held his arm over Kaneki’s and let the blood drip onto his wound.

Kaneki cried out, his skin hissing and smoking at the contact. He tried to keep from moving, but involuntarily spasmed when Hide started spreading the blood to cover every inch of his burned skin. By the time it was over, Kaneki was beyond exhausted, tear-tracks running down his cheeks.

Hide held up his arm for him to see. It was still aching and sensitive, but it was whole. He curled his fingers experimentally, relieved to see them functioning. Kaneki was covered in both human and demon blood, but he was too tired to care as he finally drifted off.


	14. Chapter 14

Kaneki slid the necklace off, placing it in the center of the summoning circle in his basement. If all went as planned, this would be the last time he was using it. Hide was circling around him, adding lines and additions that altered the summoning circle to a containing one.

They were going to trap the Spirit King right there in his basement.

Hide took a deep breath as he eased to his feet. He set the chalk aside and pulled an orb out of his pocket. It was black, covered in tiny, golden sigils. Hide spent weeks creating it while Kaneki continued to train and practice. It was what they were sealing Furuta into.

They only had once chance to get it right. If they messed up, both of them would die. And then who knew what would happen to them back in the spirit world?

“Are you ready?” Hide met Kaneki at the edge of the circle and handed him the small orb. It was unnaturally warm in the palm of his hand.

Kaneki exhaled slowly. He grabbed Hide by the waist and pulled him in for a kiss, sighing when their lips slanted together perfectly. Kaneki kissed him until he was out of breath. “Now I’m ready.” He knelt on the ground and closed his eyes.

Hide stood behind him and massaged his shoulders as he started to chant. Kaneki could immediately feel the difference from a regular summoning, even for another demon. The room temperature shot up, and Kaneki started sweating. An invisible pressure was pushing on him, making it almost impossible to breath.

He had to make sure he didn’t falter. One wrong word, one wrong annunciation, one wrong pause at the wrong time, would ruin everything.

Kaneki finished the chant, the last word echoing in the basement. All the heat in the room was sucked away, leaving it cold enough that Kaneki could see his breath. All the air was pulled in towards the circle. If there were any objects in the room, they would have flown towards the center. Even Kaneki felt the invisible pull, but Hide anchored him from behind. The walls around them were groaning, making Kaneki worried that the whole place would collapse.

There was no empty body for the demon to go into. Instead, there was a twisting, writhing black mass in the center of the circle. It seemed to be constantly shifting between solid, liquid and gas. It sought out any weakness, any opening, but it didn’t find one. Hide’s sigils were always perfect.

“Hello, Furuta.” Hide gave him the middle finger.

The demon didn’t have a mouth, so Kaneki didn’t know how he spoke, but his voice made the room shake and dust rain down from the ceiling. It was in the demon language, but Kaneki didn’t need a translation to understand. The Spirit King was beyond angry.

Hide was still grinning. He didn’t take his eyes off Furuta as he spoke. “Do it.”

Kaneki held out the orb towards the circle and started chanting again. He was exhausted, but they had to finish it. The orb was starting to heat up, burning his fingers as it absorbed the energy of the Spirit King.

The Spirit King’s attention went from Hide to Kaneki. He felt the weight of it fall on his shoulders, his body beginning to tremble. But he kept his hands and his words steady. He only had a couple more lines left.

Hide kept massaging his shoulders, his presence a constant reassurance behind him.

The orb was growing unbearable. Kaneki was just able to finish the incantation, his last word forceful as the room suddenly became empty. The orb was still burning, so Kaneki was grateful when Hide quickly plucked it away. Kaneki’s fingers didn’t look burned, but he could feel the pain lingering.

“It’s done,” Hide breathed. “We actually did it.”

Hide slipped the orb into his pocket and wrapped his arms around Kaneki’s shaking frame. Kaneki leaned against him, shifting in Hide’s embrace so they could kiss. “That makes you King, now?” Kaneki smirked. “Should I call you ‘Your Highness’?”

Hide groaned and nipped his lip. “I’m not King yet. I have to return to the spirit world to claim that role.” Hide touched the orb in his pocket. “But that should be no problem. Not with this. And…”

They parted, Hide retrieving the necklace from the center of the circle. He slid it back over Kaneki’s neck. The necklace still held power, despite its creator being imprisoned. “With a piece of the past King, no one should question your legitimacy to rule at my side.”

Kaneki touched the bone with his fingertips. It pulsed in time with his heartbeat.

There was a creak above their heads, Kaneki’s home weakened by the summoning ritual. He could see cracks in the foundation, and some of the beams of wood were splintering.

Hide pressed his lips to Kaneki’s. “Gather what you need. Then we’ll set out.” He kissed Kaneki again. “Then we can go to our new home.”

Kaneki already had most things packed in his bedroom, but he wasn’t planning on his house being in such bad shape. He was careful as he walked down the hallway, worrying that at any moment the floor would crack under his feet.

He made it safely. Kaneki’s bookshelves remained full. The only book he took with him was the one Hide wrote for him. He took all the bones he gathered, both from his friends and his enemies. They were all carefully labeled and protected in layers of cloth, or in boxes. He left his money, knowing it would have no value in the spirit world.

There were many other things he could have grabbed, but he decided to pack light. There wasn’t much left for him in the mortal world anyway. Everyone he cared for now belonged to the spirit world.

Kaneki took one last look across his room, then went to meet Hide at the front of his home. Hide held out his hand to him. Kaneki took it without worry or question.


	15. Chapter 15

The portal was made with Kaneki’s blood.

His blood was dark. Darker than a human’s, but not nearly black. It contained both human and demon material, which was needed for creating a link between two worlds. After two hours of drawing, and about half a litre of blood from Kaneki, the sigil for the portal was complete.

Hide stepped over the lines, careful not to smudge the blood. He held out his hand to Kaneki. “Ready?”

Kaneki stood, feeling light-headed from the blood loss. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” The wound on his arm was already healed. Kaneki’s blood didn’t have as potent properties as Hide’s did, but it still accelerated his healing.

Hide grinned. “You’ll love it.”

Hand in hand they began the chant. The blood seared into the ground, causing the surrounding grass to catch fire. Through the smoke, Kaneki could see the ground appeared warped, twisting around the lines of the sigil. When they finished the chant, the wind whistled in Kaneki’s ears. The ground rumbled beneath his feet and the whole world slanted sideways. It felt like something cracked – something Kaneki couldn’t see, but could feel with his powers.

It felt wrong.

“Do you trust me?” Hide smiled, spotting Kaneki’s worry. His one eye was golden and sparkling. His other was a black orb, covered in sigils. Hide said he wanted Furuta to witness the destruction of his reign. It also served as evidence that Hide was the one who took down the former king – and that he would be the one replacing him.

“Yes.” Some part of Kaneki, despite all they’d been through together, still screamed at him that he was making a mistake. But Hide would never betray him, would he?

It was Kaneki that stepped towards the portal first, Hide following close behind. He stepped into the circle. It felt like tiny barbs were digging into his skin, pulling him apart molecule by molecule. Kaneki expected pain, but there was none. Just the same sense of wrong.

Kaneki supposed it was _wrong_, a living human going to the spirit realm.

_But could he even be considered a human any longer_?

Kaneki closed his eyes as his vision started to blur. The feeling of Hide’s hand around his was gradually fading away. Until he couldn’t feel anything. Until he wasn’t sure he _was _anything. He felt like nothing. A void.

But then – there was the faintest sensation – the ghost of fingers across his cheek. Bit by bit, he was put together again. He had all his fingers. All his toes. He wiggled them experimentally, then opened his eyes.

He was laid on his back, Hide’s mismatched eyes looking down at him. Hide looked like himself, but also nothing like it. He looked like Haru, but the moment Kaneki so much as glanced away, Hide’s form shifted out of the corner of his eye. It was always moving, always changing. It was like Hide was a mass of smoke, only made to look human.

But Hide’s fingers against his cheek seemed real enough. Kaneki grasped at him, relieved when they felt solid. “How long was I out?”

Hide ran his fingers through Kaneki’s hair. “Just long enough for me to claim the crown.” Hide reached behind him and proudly displayed it. The crown looked like it was made of black bones flexible enough to be woven in a wreath. “There’s a ceremony tomorrow to officially crown me. I get to add my blood to it. Then my reign will officially start.”

Kaneki hummed softly. He shifted, trying to get up, but simply fell back into the pillows on the bed. They were ridiculously puffy, and the bed was ridiculously large. Hide crawled over him, his added weight making him sink further into the soft mattress.

Hide smirked. “Do you like the bed? I got it just for us.”

Kaneki leaned up just enough to kiss him. Hide moaned against his lips, then kissed him back with a mixture of teeth and tongue.

“We’ll be unstoppable,” Hide said. He twirled a piece of Kaneki’s hair around his finger. “You’ll help me become more powerful, won’t you Kaneki?”

Kaneki shuddered, unsure if it was from Hide’s words, or the way Hide nipped at his neck. “What do you mean by that?” Even if Hide genuinely wanted Kaneki by his side, Kaneki wasn’t surprised there was more than one reason he wanted Kaneki to rule beside him.

Hide chuckled. “I told you before, that demons were bound by certain rules here. But you’re not a demon. And you’re not a powerless spirit either. You are completely unbound.” Hide’s lips trailed over Kaneki’s jugular. “Spirits aren’t the only ones you’ll have control over.” Hide tapped a finger under the orb in his eye socket. “Demons will fear you, since you have the power to trap them.” Hide grinned. “But they won’t dare touch you, since you’re _mine_.”

Kaneki’s sucked in a breath as Hide splayed a palm on his stomach, slowly trailing it down. “And what makes you think I’ll help you? That I’ll do as you wish?” Kaneki felt like putty under Hide.

Hide’s laugh was sharp. “Because you want power. And I will always offer it to you freely. But above that, you would never betray the people you love. And you love me, don’t you?”

He did. “And what about you?”

Hide grinned and pushed Kaneki’s shirt up, kissing a line up Kaneki’s chest. “What about me?”

“Do you love me?”

Hide hummed. “We demons feel things intensely. And not quite like you humans. I don’t just love you; I want to _devour you_. I want to be inside you, and under your skin, and feel every beat of your heart and every pulse of blood through your veins. I want to know every side of you. Especially the dark sides. I want to see what you’d do when pushed to the breaking point… whether it be _hate, fear, love… pleasure._”

Kaneki couldn’t help but shiver as Hide undressed him further.

“At the same time, I want to protect you, and keep you all to myself.” Hide trailed his hands over Kaneki’s body. “But it’s so fun to watch you crush your enemies.”

“Our enemies,” Kaneki amended.

Hide grinned. He pressed their lips together roughly. “_Our enemies._”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who have read this far, and especially those who have commented. You give me life!
> 
> This fic was very fun to write. I'm excited to be moving on to completing the longer fic I've been working on for about a year. Expect the first chapter within the next couple weeks!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! I was kind of tempted to do a demon/angel story, but we already had angel Hide (in some regard lmao) and I love magician!Kaneki waaaaaay too much. 
> 
> This story was somewhat inspired by Supernatural (hello, pre-teen me), the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong (hi, teen me), Good Omens (haven't watched it yet, but I should). 
> 
> Also somewhat inspired by ["The Accidental Summoning of Kaneki Ken"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2520491/chapters/5600348), which deserves a special shout out. I always wished there were more demon Hide/Kaneki stories in this fandom, so why not create one myself? lol


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